This invention relates to article transfer devices for the pickup, transfer, and delivery of articles. Particularly, this invention relates to an article control assembly for use with an article transfer mechanism of an article transfer device to increase the speed and reliability of transferring articles from and to a plurality of predetermined locations and in a plurality of transfer paths.
It has become increasingly necessary and desirable in mechanized manufacturing, assembly, and packaging operations to enable the pickup, transfer, and delivery of articles of various shapes and dimensions in the most reliable, precise, and high-speed manner. Many types of such devices have been developed, including the utilization of rotary transfer devices having one or more article transfer mechanisms.
However, due to the many configurations, shapes and sizes of articles required to be transferred and processed, it has become increasingly difficult for manufacturers and assemblers to use suitable article transfer mechanisms which enable the precise, reliable and high speed pickup, transfer, and placement of these articles.
The article control assembly and its associated article transfer mechanism of this invention are for use in an article transfer device, such as a rotary transfer device, to increase the efficiency, accuracy and speed of transferring and placing various articles at predetermined locations. Particularly, the article control assembly is useful with a high speed rotary transfer device to transfer carton blanks, to open them, and to set them in a particular position, all at high speed, for subsequent packaging purposes. The article control assembly functions in cooperation with standard vacuum cups of an article transfer mechanism to pickup, hold and place the articles during transfer. The article control assembly of this invention comprises a separate control vacuum cup or cups constructed and arranged to engage articles at a predetermined location and for a predetermined period, in timed synchronization with the standard vacuum cups of the article transfer mechanism. An additional feature of the article control assembly is a stabilizing member which places a predetermined force on a predetermined location on the article, also in synchronization with the vacuum cup members.
Although various means have been taught to transfer articles from one location to another, and although one reliable and desirable means is the utilization of a rotary transfer mechanism, shortcomings and limitations with respect to the effective transfer of articles still exist. These limitations and shortcomings include the inability of the transfer mechanism to reliably pickup, transfer and place articles all at high speed. For example, during high speed pickup, engagement may be incomplete or misplaced, thus, causing a failure in the subsequent transfer and placement processes. Also, during high speed transfer, certain article configurations may have a tendency to loose their structural integrity and either become dislodged or unable to become properly erected. And, during placement, disengagement at high speed may be unsteady causing misaligned placement. These shortcomings and limitations generally relate to the structure of the articles, as well as limitations inherent in the design of the article transfer mechanisms themselves. Particularly, the shortcomings and limitations are due to the inability of the transfer mechanisms to hold and stabilize articles so as to maintain their desired structural configurations at high rates of transfer. This is particularly a problem for articles having tall configurations relative to their width. The article control mechanism of this invention having the control vacuum member and stabilizing member is designed to overcome the limitations of the prior known mechanisms. As far as is known, and despite the need for article control assemblies of this nature, no such devices have been disclosed or proposed.